Folding egg crate or case.



No. 833,406.` PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908.

G. E..JAGKS0N. FOLDING BGG GRATBOR CASE.

APPLIOATION FILED HAB.. 23, 1907.

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GEORGE E. JACKSON, OF NEWARK, ILLINOIS. i

FOLDING EGG CRATE OR CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 23, 1907.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Serial No. 364,075.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. JAoKsoN, citizen of the United States, residing at Ne'wark, in the county of Kendall and State of Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Egg Crates or Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in folding crates or cases, and theinvention has for its object an improved construction of device of this character, designed particularly as an egg case, although, ol course, applicable to other uses and adapted to withstand rough usage, and composed of comparatively few and simple parts that may be folded together to occupy a minimum amount of space so that the crates may be sent back to the shipper at low freight rates, and capable of being readily set up 1n position for receiving eggs or other com modities.

The invention consists essentially of an im,n

i proved sheet metal folding egg case and in the. details of construction and arrangement of the parts of the same, which I shall now hereinafter describe and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved case; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view; Fig.,6 is a detail horizontal sectional view of one corner; and, Fig. 7 is a detail view of the latch for the lid, detached.`

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates the bottom of my improved case, the same consisting of sheet iron or steel, or tin, or other light metal, if desired and rein forced by longitudinal and transverse straps 2 riveted thereto.

3 and 4 designate the two sides of the case that are hinged to the upwardly extending edges of the bottom, one in a higher plane than the other so that one may be folded down upon the other, said sides being also constructed of suitably light metal reinforced with straps 2a.

5 designates the ends of the case and 6 the top or lid, all of which may be constructed of material similar to the bottom and sides.

The sides 3 and 4 have their end edges 7 turned inwardly upon themselves, so as to form vertically extending channels, the chan nels on the same side'of the case facing each other. The ends 5 are provided with angle iron strips 5a riveted thereto and adapted to be received within the said channels, when the ends 5 are swung outwardly. The ends 5 are hinged to fold inwardly upon the bottom and underneath the folded sides 3 and 4. The sides are provided with spring latches 8 adapted to extend across the channels and to spring into apertures or other keepers in the reinforcing strips aiof the end plates7 so as to lock the ends and sides together in their set up condition.

The lid 6 is also Arovid'ed with a spring latch 9 at the midrle of one edge, and is adapted to be slipped underneath the inwardly extending flanges 10 of the sides 3 and 4. When in closed position, the latch 9 of said lid will have snapped down over the upper edge of one of the ends 5. Said latch is provided with a thumb catch 9a by which it may be released so as to allow the lid to be slipped outwardly. If desired the case may be provided with one or more partitions 11,

anc it may also be provided at its ends with handles', as shown.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is evident that the ends 5 may be disengaged from the sides 3 and 4 and folded down upon the bottom and. its sides 3 and 4 may then be folded upon the bottom, and one upon the other, so as to reduce the space required for the crate or case to a minimum. When it is desired to set up the case for the reception of its contents, it is only necessary to swing the sides outwardly from each other and to swing the ends 5 outwardly until the latches 8 engage therewith, when the case will be securely held in set-up condition, and, after being filled, may be easily closed and locked in closed position by means of the Vsliding lid or cover 6.

It will be seen that the case, as 1t 1s composed of sheet metal reinforced with rela-` tively heavier straps and corner posts, will combine the characteristics of lightness and,

strength and that it will be durable and effect economies in that it may be shipped back to the producer in a folded condition at the lowest freight rates, without the accompanying danger of having one or more parts lost that is incident to the ordinary knockdown cases or crates with separable parts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A case of the character described, consisting of a bottom portion provided with longitudinal and transverse reinforcing straps and formed with up-turned side edges, the

sides hinged at one edge to the edges of the bottom, one in a higher plane than the other and adapted to fold down one upon the other, ends hinged to the ends of the bottom and adapted to fold down thereupon underneath the said sides, the said sides being provided with returned end edges thereby to form channels, the channels of the same side facing each other, the ends being provided with angle strips at their side edges, one member of said angle strip being adapted to enter the said channels when the ends are swung outwardly, spring latches secured to the sides and adapted to extend across the channels into locking engagement with said angle strips, the outer edges of said sides beingl formed with inturned flanges, and a lid adapted to slide underneath said flanges and provided at one edge with a spring latch adapted to spring down over the upper edge of the ends.

2. A case of the character described, consisting of a bottom, sides hinged to said bottom, one in a higher plane than the other an'd adapted to fold down upon said bottom, the end edges of said sides being provided with inwardly facing channels, ends hingedv to the bottom and provided at their side edges with angle strips adapted to slip into the channels when the ends are swung outwardly, spring latches adapted to lock the said angle strips to the sides and a lid for said case.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. JACKSON. [L. sl /Vitnesses F. 'W. KENDALL, E. S. GooDELL. 

